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United States Patent | 5,645,952 |
Lampinen ,   et al. | July 8, 1997 |
A method and apparatus for storing and producing electrical energy in an electrochemical cell, where the cathode is a porous air electrode and the anode is a hydrogen-containing metal hydride. According to the invention, an overpressure is allowed to form inside the porous air electrode during charging, the said pressure preventing the formation of hydrogen bubbles on the metal hydride electrode. The overpressure remains at the desired level because the pores of the air electrode are made so small that the surface tension of the electrolytic solution penetrating into the pores seals the porous air electrode.
Inventors: | Lampinen; Markku (Louhentie 20 E 37, FIN-02130 Espoo, FI); Viitanen; Minna (Jokioinen, FI); Lamminen; Jaakko (Jarvenpaa, FI); Fomino; Marina (Ames, IA) |
Assignee: | Lampinen; Markku (Espoo, FI) |
Appl. No.: | 318727 |
Filed: | October 13, 1994 |
PCT Filed: | April 13, 1993 |
PCT NO: | PCT/FI93/00154 |
371 Date: | October 13, 1994 |
102(e) Date: | October 13, 1994 |
PCT PUB.NO.: | WO93/21664 |
PCT PUB. Date: | October 28, 1993 |
Apr 14, 1992[FI] | 921655 |
Current U.S. Class: | 429/25; 429/27; 429/41; 429/50 |
Intern'l Class: | H01M 012/08 |
Field of Search: | 429/25,27,41,50,61 |
3087004 | Apr., 1963 | Thorsheim | 429/25. |
3112228 | Nov., 1963 | Young | 429/25. |
3520728 | Jul., 1970 | Beccu. | |
4107405 | Aug., 1978 | Percheron born Guegen et al. | 429/218. |
4528251 | Jul., 1985 | Yamaguchi et al. | 429/25. |
4609599 | Sep., 1986 | Percheron nee Guegan et al. | 429/218. |
4661425 | Apr., 1987 | Juda | 429/206. |
5423967 | Jun., 1995 | Kunimatsu et al. | 429/41. |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
37 02 138 A1 | Aug., 1988 | DE. | |
1276260 | Jun., 1972 | GB. |